This invention, in general, relates to a rescue apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to a deployable apparatus for rescuing persons and animals on a water surface.
It is often difficult to rescue persons involved in an accident at sea from the water using a rescue boat or other rescue devices. Lifting persons from the water and placing them in the rescue boat is difficult. Conventional rescue methods involving use of ropes ladders, etc., lowered, for example, from a helicopter, and floatation devices that generally take relatively long time to deploy and maneuver may not be very effective. People need to be rescued as quickly as possible, since their bodies cool down rapidly when submerged in water. Moreover, when the water is at a low temperature, people may suffer from hypothermia, possibly resulting in death. Furthermore, conventional rescue devices used in rescue operations may be able to rescue only a limited number of people. When a large number of people need to be rescued, multiple conventional rescue devices operated simultaneously may be required. Furthermore, conventional rescue devices may be accessible only to people within reach from the conventional rescue device. Persons at a distance from the conventional rescue device may not be rescued quickly which may eventually result in their death.
Hence, there is an unmet need for a deployable apparatus that rescues a large number of persons and animals at different distances from the deployable apparatus simultaneously or in a relatively short period of time from a water surface.